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{Due to a recent virus attack I lost a whole bunch of recipe on my blog. I am slowly working on posting them back one by one. I am going to start with the recipes I am getting most requests for. If you remember/want to try one of my earlier recipes which is now not in this blog please write to be at chinmayie.bhat@gmail.com and i’ll try to post it as soon as possible. I am basically just going to re-post the recipe as it was. So some of the content might not be so relevant today but my intention is to get them all back  and I  have over 80 posts to re-blog. Thank you! }

I will never be tired of baking with bananas! I always have some overripe bananas which need to be used up and there are never too many banana recipes to choose from. If you are regular visitor here you will know that I already have several banana based recipes here. But you know what…to me there are never too many banana recipes. When I asked you all if you are also Banana crazy like me, on my Facebook page, you said ‘Yes!’. You agreed that you are more than happy to have one more new way to use up overripe bananas

Once again, I had a few overripe, almost black bananas on my counter. I didn’t have too much space in my freezer so I decided to bake something with it immediately. Since I am in a complete granola bar mode right now and since I remembered seeing a lot of recipes using mashed banana in them instead of honey, I decided that I i’ll make some banana walnut granola bars.

If I haven’t told you all yet, I have a ‘serious’ problem when it comes to following recipes. With a very good intention I start off with a great recipes but somewhere along the way I end up changing a little (or a lot!) here and there and end up with something that is nothing like the original recipe! So knowing myself pretty well I started without any recipe this time.

What I ended up with was not a granola bar at all! Initially I decided not to blog it but then it turned out so tasty and unique that I realized it’s a great recipe to share with you all.

Now let me tell you all the good things about this recipe:

• It’s SO SO simple! it has just a handful of ingredients that you will surely have in your cupboard (if you don’t, please start storing them form now on ;P)
• It’s REALLY quick and easy to make.
• It has NO SUGAR (none!!)
• It has no oil, butter or any other fat (Yup!, you read that right)
• It’s easy to store, carry around and makes a perfect breakfast/snack
• My 3 year old daughter loves them!
• If it’s not good enough by itself, it tastes fabulous with some homemade peanut butter!

OK… I will stop now. Try this Banana Walnut Oat Bar recipe when you have the ‘overripe banana’ problem in your life next time

Note:

If you want to make it now and don’t have overripe bananas, check out this super cool idea on ‘Clean Green Simple‘

This recipe is can also be gluten free if you use GF Oats in it

Once again use rolled oats if you prefer

Replace walnuts with any other nuts of your choice

Instead of 1/2 cup water you can always use 1/4 cup oil and 1/4 cup water. I haven’t tried it but I think it’ll only make these bars better

Ingredients:

• 3 cups quick cooking oats
• 1 1/2 cups of mashed overripe bananas
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 tsp salt

Pre-heat the oven at 180 degree Celsius.

Combine mashed banana ground flaxseeds, water and salt in a big bowl, stir well. Add the oats and mix everything. Fold it into a greased (with coconut oil) shallow baking tray, spread and press well with you fingers.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Let it cool for 10 minutes.

Cut it into squares, re arrange it on a cookie sheet upside down. Put it back into the oven and bake it for another 15 minutes. Turn the pieces over and bake for another 5 minutes for both the sides to be nice and brown.

Let it cool completely and store it in an air tight container for up to a week.